9 Days of the Rite of Spring
by frankenfeels
Summary: A breakdown of Kat's and Patrick's nine days from Friday, when Kat lost the election and Walter caught Kat and Patrick in bed, until the following Saturday, just not in chronological order.
1. Prologue

**Hey! **

**This is the new version of "He had come over"; didn't really like it, just I decided to start over. Pretty much everything is the same; same plot, same characters, and all, just different timing and format. **

**You'll see in the next chapter and I'll tell you more stuff. **

* * *

It starts with a death.

Either the death of a family member, the death of a reputation at school, the death of a relationship, or the death of your boyfriend. It never really matters because it always interpreted as the end. But death should never be thought as the conclusion, but as the beginning. As Lord Byron wrote, "Ah, surely nothing dies, but something mourns!" The family of Athena Baldwin was mourning for the death of Grandmother Cecile, Kat was mourning the death of her image at school, Bianca was mourning the death of her few month love with Joey, and Kat, once again, was going to mourn the death of her boyfriend by her father, Walter, whom had just caught them in bed together.

The life of Patrick Verona ended with him scrambling to retrieve his clothes, with a pillow around his—ahem—"area", while Walter chased him around the room with a bat that he kept next to each of the girls' doors. Just to let you know, Patrick Verona didn't actually die. That, my friend, was a hyperbole. But, something did die for Patrick Verona: his image and relationship with Walter, Kat's father, ended—dreadfully. He might as well had died because there's no way in hell Patrick will ever be able to see Kat ever again. Matter of fact, that's what Walter had yelled at Patrick whilst he was jumping off the balcony and onto his motorcycle.

This, like death, is only the beginning.


	2. Day Nine

**Short but whatever. I didn't want to give too much away and I'm sorry if you're confused, I am too. **

* * *

Day 9

She was going through security. She had just gave the ticket to the ticket lady and went on the ramp, carrying the eco-friendly bag Kat had insisted she have as a parting gift. Patrick's gift was his promise that he would try to stay out of trouble. He emphasized the word "try" immensely.

She told him, after he said that, in a quick voice, "'Better never trouble Trouble until Trouble troubles you; for you only make your trouble double-trouble when you do." It made his brows crinkle in confusion, which made her laugh. She stepped back from both of them and told them, in a weepy voice, "I'm going to miss you guys—ha!"—her voice went back to her normal self-confident, bored tone—"I'll see you guys later", she waved a low wave and walked off, a bag, backpack, and old suitcase in tow.

"I'm going to miss her", Kat said, Patrick's arm around her, both of them staring as she left.

Patrick glanced down at Kat, without moving his head, and then said, "Are you just saying that or do you really mean it?"

"Little of both, actually."


	3. Day One

Day 1

Kat Stratford has just died. Now was the part when everyone was giving their eulogies, telling what they really thought of her. The thrown food and crap on her car were the flowers. The evil eyes and hateful glances at Kat were the looks people give to the deceased and the deceased's family and friends.

The video of her mocking and belittling everyone had been the bullet to her head. The assassin? The most likely suspect is her fellow class presidential candidate, William "Blank" Blankenship. I know, I know, it's not him, but, for now and for all intensive's purposes, let's just say that he's Lee Harvey Oswald.

The crime occurred precisely at 12:30-ish in the school's courtyard. Following her assassination, the victim, Kat Stratford, immediately left the courtyard, with Mr. Blankenship hot on her heels, telling her that he had "nothing to do with it". She replied with a very sarcastic "right". Among the spiteful and hurtful stares of her fellow peers were the sad and comforting glances of the victim's sister's, sophomore, Bianca Stratford, the victim's sister's best friend and campaign manager, sophomore, Cameron James, and the victim's sister's other best friend, sophomore, Dawn Something (I don't know her last name; I would go ask her—again—, but I just asked her twenty minutes ago and she hasn't mentioned it amidst her blabber).

Subsequently after this, Kat Stratford hid in the girls' bathroom, for the rest of the day, listening to the bathroom users' "eulogies" of her. She was not happy, to say the least, and it was quite a struggle for her to control her screams and screeches. She left the bathroom at around 3:15, school being over at 3:00. Along the way to her car, she received many death looks. Once she arrived at her car, at 3:20 or so, it had been vandalized by her peers.

Very sad really.

It's going to be a real pain to clean her car off.

Anyways, while Kat was standing there, baffled at what had happened to her "baby", the last bus of the day left, exposing the victim's ex-boyfriend, and resident "bad-boy", Patrick Verona, on his motorcycle, holding up one of the victim's campaign posters—with "KAT STATFORD FOR PRESIDENT" in big, printed, green letters—with his addition of, "I VOTED FOR" in black, blocky letters. They then hugged with Mr. Verona telling Kat that it looked like she "could need a ride home".

They both got on Mr. Verona's motorcycle and he drove her home. I'm not going to go into detail of what happened next, but let's just say that the victim and Mr. Verona hugged again—and again—and again, the narrator said knowingly. After **that**, they talked about it being "fun" and the victim asked Mr. Verona a "favor". The "favor" turned out to be asking Mr. Verona not to "break her heart". He said okay and, soon thereafter, asked her for a "favor", but was interrupted by the victim's father, Dr. Walter Stratford, OBG/YN, yelling out, "I hear someone could use a hug!"

This is where it gets really, really awkward. It's about as awkward like when Luke told Leia that she's his sister, and all the memories of them kissing come back and slap her in the face.

I wasn't even there when it happened and it's just plain awkward for me to write about. Basically, the victim becomes Ms. Stratford and Mr. Verona, now, becomes the victim. It sucks because Mr. Verona had just gotten business cards that said, in bold, grand calligraphy, "**PATRICK VERONA**- Resident bad-boy, deep voiced man-boy". Now, he has to order new ones and add "comma Victim", and I hear redoing business cards can be very expensive.

Sorry, but as I said in the prologue, Patrick Verona "died" and jumped on his motorcycle and drove off, not into the sunset, unfortunately.

Ms. Stratford then got an hour-long lecture from Mr. Stratford. I can't really tell you what exactly happened 'cause I kind of turned out when Ms. Stratford told exactly what he and she said. Basically, the gist of it is:

"Blah, blah, blah! I told you not to have sex!" Mr. Stratford yelled at her.

"We got tested, it came back clean, and we used a condom! Blah, blah, blah!" she yelled back at him.

"I still don't want you having sex yadda, yadda, yadda. You're my cactus!"

"The Gilded Flicker builds nests in Saguaro cactus!"

"He's more like the _Cactoblastis cactorum_!" That's type of moth that eats cacti. I had to Wiki that.

"Okay, whatever, me having sex is bad!"

This went on for about another thirty minutes before she gave up and he gave her the punishment, door's being taken off, window's being bolted, and car's being taken away, and limited to the house and school.

She accepted her defeat and he left, to try and soothe Bianca and her pain.

* * *

She spent the next twenty minutes thinking about the situation before she took a shower. So it was about 9:30. She sat on the edge of the bed, toweling off her hair, and then started brushing it, a rough tearing sound crashing throughout the room with each stoke of the brush in her hair.

She heard her window open so she stopped brushing her hair and glanced over to her window as Patrick snuck in. "Patrick", Kat said, as she stood up.

"Someone looks as giddy as a school girl", his velvety voice teased.

"You need to go. We're in deep trouble, like we just assassinated the President trouble."

"Yeah, but wasn't it fun while it lasted Booth?"

Kat rolled her eyes at Patrick, "Lincoln"—she pointed towards the door—"didn't think so in the slightest bit."

"Oh, c'mon, can't I just stay over for a little while?" Patrick put on his best little boy face, "It's so cold out there."

"Where do we live? Antarctica?"

Patrick revealed more of his bottom lip, to give the full little boy face. "Fine", she said, sharply and then pointed at him, "just stop giving me that dumb look. But this time, you're staying with me."

"Whatever you say", he smirked at her and she got goose bumps, and her insides melted, and her face turned hot so she couldn't help but smile at him. She threw him a sheet, blanket, and pillow and pointed the rug right next to her bed.

"That's where you sleep, any complaints?"

"No, no, not at all", he said, placing the sheet down on her rug. He started to get undressed while Kat got into the right side of her bed grabbing Atlas Shrugged, and then he said, "This will be the second time today that I'm in my skivvies in here."

"Yeah", she said, reading, "and if you keep it up, it'll be the first time today that you'll be in your skivvies out there", she motioned her head to outside the house, still reading.

"Ah, you like it", he threw the pillow on the ground.

"I'd rather see Robert Downey Jr. in his skivvies than you!"

"That's not how you acted earlier", he flashed a cocky, charming smile that would make Tony Stark proud.

She glanced up from her reading and pointed, lowly, at Patrick, "Let's not talk about that. Well"—Kat places her book back on the nightstand and moves her hand towards the lamp switch—"good night."

"Yeah", Patrick mumbled as he laid down on her sheet-covered rug, "good night."

Night engulfed the room. Kat laid on her back, staring at the ceiling. She flipped over to her side, her back facing Patrick. She then flipped over onto her other side, her fount side facing Patrick. Kat peered over the edge of her bed to glance at Patrick. His eyes were closed, but he wasn't sleeping. His breathing wasn't even, yet. "Patrick", she called out, quietly, "if you want, you can come into my bed."

She laid back on her left side, with her back facing Patrick. She didn't know if he heard her or not until she felt the bed shift and creak under his weight. "You sure?" he hoarsely whispered into her ear as he moved closer to her.

"Yes", Kat glanced at Patrick. "Just no funny business or I'm kicking you out." She laid on her back as Patrick inched his hand to meet with hers on her stomach.

"No funny business, I promise", he whispered. It was silent for a few minutes before Patrick spoke again, "What was the sentence?"

"Door's coming off, window's being bolted, car's being taken away, and can't go anywhere, but school."

"This stinks", Patrick couldn't think of anything else to say, but it was the right thing to say. "Well, we'll always have school."

"I doubt that. We'll most likely be on 'Tharp Watch'."

"What?" Patrick glanced at Kat in confusion.

"My dad's dating Miss Tharp", she said abruptly.

"Oh. Can't she help?"

"I don't know. I don't think she'll accomplish anything."

"Never know. People can surprise you."

"You have experience", they both smiled at each, their smiles radiating by Kat's glowing tree.

**Next chapter, most likely, you'll find out who the woman was on Day Nine (Ch. 2) was. **

**Read, review, and do tell. **

**I'm out. **

**-Ellie Bocanegra**


	4. Day Two

**Hey! **

**Four things before you read (well you CAN skip this, but my feelings might be hurt):**

**1) This is where you met the mysterious woman from Day Nine at. Lots of you were wondering who the hell she was. Here she is!**

**2) Sorry if the beginning is JUST like the same as it had been for chapter 4 for the last attempt. I liked it enough to keep it. **

**3) If you didn't notice, all my assassination talk last chapter was mirroring the assassination of JFK! Lee Harvey Oswald, supposedly, killed JFK at 12:30 p.m. in Dallas (that's my time! Central! And what I had put down as the time Kat was "assassinated"!). I was pretty excited about that once I finished the whole section about it. But, I promise you, no more ****conspiracy theories or presidential assassination talks, unless Blank gets assassinated by that chick.**

**And lastly, 4) Tomorrow's chapter might be a little late. Brazil is playing against North Korea tomorrow and so I'm going to be preoccupied with that. **

* * *

Day 2

Patrick awoke before dawn, an arm trapped beneath Kat and completely numb. He turned his head to gaze at her but didn't move anything else, not wanting to disturb her sleep.

She looked beautiful.

Her hair was sleep tousled, her mouth was slightly open, and her cheek held the faint crease of a pillow. Still she looked beautiful.

He turned his head and stared up at the ceiling, a crush of emotions weighing heavily on his chest. Careful not to wake her, he eased his arm from beneath her. It had been a difficult night for him, laying next to her, feeling the warmth of her curves so close, the scent of her filling his head and not acting on the sharp desire that stabbed him.

What he needed was a very cold shower to banish the tension that begged to be relieved.

Ew.

He quietly got dressed and, while carefully slipping out her window, blew her kiss. He jumped down from her balcony and jogged, slowly, away from her house. He had parked his motorcycle a few blocks over. He looked back at her house and he thought of a poem an old friend—whom you'll met in a while—once read to him:

To make a final conquest of all me,  
Love did compose so sweet an Enemy,  
In whom both Beauties to my death agree,  
Joyning themselves in fatal Harmony;  
That while she with her Eyes my Heart does bind,  
She with her Voice might captivate my Mind.

I could have fled from One but singly fair:  
My dis-intangled Soul itself might save,  
Breaking the curled trammels of her hair.  
But how should I avoid to be her Slave,  
Whose subtile Art invisibly can wreath  
My Fetters of the very Air I breath?

It had been easie fighting in some plain,  
Where Victory might hang in equal choice.  
But all resistance against her is vain,  
Who has th' advantage both of Eyes and Voice.  
And all my Forces needs must be undone,  
She having gained both the Wind and Sun.

* * *

They were at the beach. They had absolutely no idea how the hell they convinced Walter not to kill them and allow Kat to leave the house. With Patrick Verona, no less.

"I have no idea what just happened", Kat looked up at Patrick, who smiled coolly. "What did you do?"

"A master never reveals his secret", Patrick said, sinking slightly in the sand as they walked.

"Come on!" Kat yelled at him, smiling. "Tell me!"

Patrick grabbed her shoulders and said, gazing into her eyes, "Yeah, right after this"—he leaned in to kiss her, the flames of passion and lust in their eyes. His lips were barely brushing her lips, teasing her. She grabbed his neck and pulled his lips onto hers. Excitement overtook her and he chuckled, lightly, but excitement, too, overtook him. Her fingers tangled in his curly black hair, as he leaned her over, his hands on her back. The waves crashed over the shoreline as they grew closer together, becoming one; it was very theatrical and romance movie-esque.

I think I got that right.

Kat broke away from Patrick, her breath winded and her eyes dazed. "I think we should stop before we get too into it."

"Why?" Patrick asked as he started kissing her neck.

"Must I remind you what is in beach sand?"

Patrick stood up, helping Kat, "How could I forget? The power point."

They started walking along the beach, as cliché as that sounds. "So, how did you convince my dad to not kill you?"

"I told him that I respected you far too much to do whatever he thought I did to you and that if I stepped out of line you would"—Patrick cleared his throat—"cut something off of me, something important."

"That's all it took?"

"Naw, I begged him, pleaded with him, on my hands and knees, kissed his ass, immensely, and fed him false promises. It was very hard work."

"Well I thank you very much", they stopped walking. She looked at him. "I'm very proud of what you did."

"Yeah", he said, looking at the sand, grinning, and "it was pretty sweet of me."

A woman, who looked like she was the same age as Patrick and Kat, walked to the shore, a few feet away from Kat and Patrick. She had the body of a dancer, tall and slender. She had four black pigtails, like girls have in Anime cartoons, and was wearing a knee length dark blue-gray apron and red sneakers. She was looking at the ocean, wiping her hands onto apron. It looked like she was cursing.

Patrick's lustful eyes turned into childhood wonderment as he noticed the woman, "Athena?" he asked as he walked towards the woman. "Is that you?"

The woman glanced at Patrick, confusion in her brown eyes, "Excuse me?" she asked, a slight Italian accent creeping up.

"It's me Patrick", he pointed to himself.

"PATRICK?" she screeched. She jumped towards him, a huge smile on her face. "Oh my god!"

"I thought you were in Italy."

"Oh, I am—um—not right now of course—but my grandmother died."

"Grandmother Flash died?" Patrick's face had a hint of sadness.

"No, not her", Athena said, "the other one, Darth Sidious."

"Oh", Patrick said as Kat strolled from behind him.

"Who's this? Dorothy Zbornak?" Athena pointed at Kat.

Patrick chuckled a slight little boy laugh, "No, this is my girlfriend, Kat Stratford."

Athena extended her hand to Kat, "Well, Kat, I'm Athena Baldwin; I'm an old friend of Patrick."

"Hi", Kat smiled then her face fell to a sullen expression, "I'm sorry to hear about your grandmother; must be very depressing for you."

"Nope, I'm happy she's dead. I used to have to stay over at her house after school and she'd make Patrick and I scrub her feet or something so I could go out and play. And her little black Crocker Spaniel used to chase us around, its teeth snarling and gnashing at us. I hated that little fucker."

"Oh, well, sorry", Kat grew very uncomfortable.

"Why do you have an apron on?" Patrick asked Athena, noticing her get-up.

"Well, all my cousins' and I's parents decided to let us clean her house while they went to do something, I don't know. Anyhoo, my cousins were being dumbasses so I told them to fuck off and walked away", Athena nodded her head. An Italian yelling the word "Peanuts", interrupted the nice gauche moment. "Oh Chico", Athena said taking out a yellow Iphone. "Excuse me", she told Patrick and Kat as she answered the phone, "Hello?" She walked a few feet away.

"Like her?" Patrick asked Kat, as Athena talked on the phone.

"She's a little harsh and forceful."

"Just like you", Patrick pointed at Kat.

…"Did you trap it?"…"Why haven't you called Animal Control yet?"…"Oh, I see. Well trap them"… "Not in the same room, you idiot!"…"And then call Animal Control; for both him and the snake"…"Okay, I'll be back in a second. Bye-bye", Athena rolled her eyes, stuck her phone back into her apron's pocket, and walked back to Patrick and Kat. "I gotta go. My former alcoholic cousin, Seth, just discovered my Grandmother's liquor stash and he's going absolutely mad dog. And a snake somehow found its way into the house, so, bye!" Athena waved a huge wave at Patrick and Kat and left.

* * *

**Reasons why it's called (9) Days of the Rite of Spring:**

**(500) Days of Summer Trailer: .com/watch?v=PsD0NpFSADM [If you've seen it, you know why]**

**Rite of Spring: .com/watch?v=jF1OQkHybEQ **


	5. Day Three

Day 3

The doorbell rang at noon.

No one answered.

The door bell began to ring, frantically.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming", Kat yelled, coming down from the stairs.

The ringing stopped.

Kat opened the fount door.

Athena was there.

"Hey", Athena said to Kat, with a slight smile.

"Hi. What're you doing here?"

Kat let Athena in, and while entering, with her eyes closed, Athena said, "Well, Patrick called me and begged me to come over". She stopped walking and looked at Kat, who was behind her, "It was really very sad", she walked to the dining table and sat down, Kat across from her, "So, I told him for fifty dollars I'd come down here and solve the deficit problem!"

"Why does he think you'll solve my problems?" Kat scooted up in her chair.

"I don't know. I guess Patrick sees me as a mother/big sister type figure, which is odd considering that I'm almost a full year younger than him", Athena glanced up to the ceiling, as if she was thinking. "Ish, ish. I helped ol' Patty with his problems, and, so, he thought 'Why the hell not? Athena will help Kat with her problems too!', therefore, here I am."

This is where Kat got excited, "Like what?"

Athena started laughing, "I'm not telling you." She laughed for a few more seconds and then stopped, "If Patrick likes you enough he'll tell you"—Athena becomes alarm and raises her arms, defensively—"it's not that he doesn't like you, but it's not my place to tell. I guess I'll say it this way then, if he feels the time is right, and then he'll tell you. You just haven't gotten to that stage yet or the opportunity hasn't arisen thus far. I only know about his emotional crap because I was there when it was happening. So what's your problem?"

"Well, the whole school is mad at me because I disparaged them and all", Kat said slowly and quietly. "Kat, I would love to help you with your problem, but you have to tell me what it is first", Athena told Kat, cruelly. Kat then told Athena the whole story of what happened. Kat had expected Athena not to know what to do and to reply with a "That stinks" or some line like that, but, instead, Athena responded with, "Oh that's easy! This is what you do", Athena drew in some air, "tomorrow, at school, be a wallflower, fade into the background, don't stand out!"

"That's against my principles though!"

"Do your principles involve your car being pelted by junk?" Kat didn't respond. "But, you'll just have to be a ghost until the next scandal arises, which will be in a week or so. After that, you're home free, you see, kids today have very short attention spans thanks to cell phones and video games, so by next week, you'll be able to stand out again, but I do advise you to not return to your normal boldness, since that could trigger some sort of memory that involves the video of you insulting them. And when you met this Blank chap, be warm towards him, but keep your distance. Congratulate him, shake his hand, and it would work better if Patrick did the same too."

"And should I bake him cookies and give him a massage, too?"

"Naw, that's too much", Athena promptly told Kat, brushing off her sarcastic remark. Addressing Kat's desire to be hostile towards Blank, she said, "It'll make you the bigger person, that you don't have to resort to cheap ploys like that, and, we don't know if Blank posted the video up or not, but we'll have to assume that he did for now", Athena licked her lips and paused. "Now, concerning the real culprit, who would have access to the video?"

"There's Cameron James, the video tech guy."

"Okay, if it's the same Spoink that I knew in middle school, we can clearly mark him out", Athena said, trying to contain a laugh. "Wh"—Athena tried to not laugh—"Who is next?" Athena giggled out a small laugh.

"Ah, Gaya Pinto."

"Don't know who she is", Athena said, "Who's next?"

"Tabitha Cook."

"I think I've heard of her", Athena squinted her eyes in thought. "Describe her."

"Okay, she's very active in school, a goody two shoes"…

"Oh, isn't she that brown haired girl with a stick up her butt?"

"Yes, she was my speech writer and didn't seem too please about the video and the changes"…Athena smiled as Kat seemed to doze off into space.

"I think you've found your rat."

"Ha!" Kat shouted.

"So, we've found the who, the how, and the ha. Now, the why."

"Do you have it?"

Athena smiled again, "Human beings are driven by two things: lust and power. Therefore, this Tabitha would be driven by one or both of these. Who do you have that she would be attracted to so much that would drive her so far as to do something like this?"

"Patrick and I guess Blank."

"Well, she's obviously not lusting after Patrick because, if so, she did a very stupid move."

"Which was?"

"In romantic movies, an event like this actually causes a broken-up couple to get back together; always happens. Her doing this to get Blank seems a little far-fetched, which brings us to, power. She obviously wants power so she worked with Blank. He probably promised her some stupid position like the head of a committee like prom."

"I would have let her be the head of a committee."

"I guess she just generally dislikes you. And, maybe, in her twisted mind, she hoped that if she worked with Blank, he would fall in love with her, so lust did have a small part in it, too."

"I'm so going to kill her."

"No, no, don't do that. Act like you don't even suspect a thing. She'll lower her defenses so it'll be easier to systemically destroy her. I can see it now: she showed him the video of you rapping and dancing, he said something about you winning or him losing or something like that. She won't accept that and, against his strict orders, she posts that video up. He's very mad at her and he was telling the truth, he had nothing to do with it. Now, I don't know whether or not you should tell Blank that you know. Either way, I expect him to fill so overcome with guilt that he doesn't place Tabitha as the head of a committee, that'll make her feel that all was pointless. I think if you tell him it'll just speed the process up, but if you don't then he might not do it. Just tell him, but wait until way after you shake his hand and congratulate him."

A clock rang at one o'clock.

"Oh", Athena said noticing the time, "I better get going." She stood up; her black horn rimmed glasses were slipping so she pushed them up. "What time do you have lunch tomorrow? I would love to come by to see Spoink."

"Eleven thirty."

"Okay", Athena walked towards the door. "Bye."

"One question."

"Yes?" Athena turned around to face Kat. "How do you know how to get out of situations like this?"

"My boyfriend's family is all in the political business. In the Cavour family—that's his last name—you're either a priest or a politician. And his uncle is a childless publicist so he taught me the way of lying and deception." Athena smiled and turned to leave, but then stopped and told Kat, "If Patrick asks, we had a good time and jabbered on about gossip. I think he wants us to be friends. As I said earlier, he sees me as a mother/big sister figure so I guess he wants my approval before he tells you anything."

"Do you approve of us?" Kat became slightly nervous.

"I don't know", Athena shrugged. "It took my boyfriend's mother three months before she gave a hint on whether she approved of me or not. I'll try not to take so long."

* * *

**Like it?**

**If not, then tough titties. **

**If so, do whatever. Comment, review, spread. **

**I don't care. **


	6. Day Four

Day 4

Athena walked down the hallway of Padua high. Many people stared at her, or glanced, I think, because she was wearing orange rain boots—even though it wasn't raining in the slightest bit—short jeans shorts with suspenders, a heart camisole, and had her black mid-neck length hair in two small pigtails. It also maybe that some of the people recognized her from middle school and were shocked to see her here.

She strolled into the courtyard, thinking she would find Patrick and Kat there. She stands there for a few moments, people walking by her, some staring, some not. A duo of cheerleaders, behind her, closed in on Athena, callous and unkind smirks plastered onto their faces, much like their makeup. One, the leader, was of medium height, a half inch shorter than Athena, with bleach blonde hair, and quite a lot of makeup on. She was wearing a mini pink skirt, a tiny white tank top, and black heels.

The other one, her ever loyal devotee in tow, was simply the dark version of the leader; same height, same outfit—though just the dark version, black skirt, dark blue tank top, and black heels—, same basic haircut.

"Did kindergarten get out early today?" the blonde one asked, malice dripping from every word.

"Oh no", Athena said, turning around to see who was talking and then glanced down at what her insulters were wearing, "but I can see that the pimps let you out early though", Athena said, with a slight smile.

"What are you doing here, Athena?" the dark one asked.

"I'm fine, thanks for asking, Katie. I'm here to see Patrick", Athena told the dark one, now called, Katie, with a bored, flat tone.

"It's time to grow up, Athena"—Katie said, just about to reference Athena's outfit—"with your clothes and feelings. You know Patrick Verona has a girlfriend?"

Athena gave an over exaggerated dumb look to Katie, and then said, in a very mordant, alarmed tone, "Really? I'm just stunned—and shocked", she then broke the dumb act and said, in a potent tone, "Of course, Patrick is dating Kat!"

"Well, since you know that, maybe you should know that you should dress your age", the blonde one said to Athena.

Athena started to chuckle a fake laugh, "Oh that's so funny!" she spat out, in between bouts of laughter. She stopped laughing and then said, "But, Michelle and Katie, it would really help your ethos is you weren't dressed like a baby prostitute", she narrowed her eyes at Michelle, the blonde one, and then continued, "or a transvestite", she narrowed her eyes at Katie this time. Athena nodded at the two speechless girls, and said "Yeah", before walking away to an empty table, still waiting for Patrick and Kat.

She sat there, hands placed together, trying to whistle. Once in a while, a whistle would escape her lips, but, most of the time, she looked like an idiot, with her lips puckered up, moving her head in rhythm to the song she was whistling.

"Are you trying to whistle?" an English accent said next to her.

She looked up, still looking like an idiot—her lips puckered and eyebrows up—, and then said, "Yes, I've been trying to whistle for the past ten years. I'm thinking about giving up."

"Ah, God hates quitters", Blank said, sitting down in fount of Athena, her eyes following him, "'Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste death but once'."

"I'm quitting trying to whistle, not school, damn", Athena said, a slight chuckle at the end.

"I don't believe I've seen you here before."

"That's because I don't go here", Athena pointed to a visitor badge on her suspender, it gleaming in the sunlight, "I'm visiting some friends—if I can only find them."

"Well, maybe I can help", Blank said.

Athena, thinking that this might be William Blankenship—on account of his, what Kat had called it, "a disgustingly posh British accent that would bring shame to Laurence Oliver"—, said to him, "I don't think you wanna help."

"Of course I do. I'm student council president; I'm here to help."

"So much for being sorry", Athena muttered under her breath.

"What?"

"I said there's no need for you to help. The situation is perfectly taken care of", she gave him one of her most sincerest smiles, the one she normally reserved for her father, when she wanted to go out with her boyfriend. "I'm just going to simply sit here and wait for them by myself."

"By yourself?"

"By myself, alone, completely cut off from the world. I'm eighteenth century America", she swipes her hand to make Blank leave, "So go away Great Britain." Blank, well, gave her a blank look. "Ah look", Athena said to Blank, glancing at something over his shoulder, "here comes France and Spain right now", and at that moment, Kat and Patrick walked through the doors behind Blank, arm in arm.

"Hi Athena", Patrick said to her as they stood at the head of the table.

"Hey Patrick, hey Kat", Athena said, slightly smiling. The mood of the table was—well—it would sound better if I gave an example. It's like, on sitcoms, when the main character or whomever insults a stranger and a few minutes after that it turns out that that stranger is their new boss. The feelings and emotions felt by the said main character is exactly what Blank was feeling right then, a swirl of anxiety, fear, and guilt in the pit of his stomach. He felt like he was going to throw up.

Kat broke the silence by unlinking her arm with Patrick and holding her hand out for a shake. "Congratulations on winning on Friday", Blank took her hand, his hand was calmly with fear, and shook it, "I wish you nothing but the best."

"Thanks."

Patrick did the same thing too; he held his hand out for a shake and said the same basic thing, not a hint of angriness or rage in his voice or shake.

"I don't know what's going on", Athena faked it and held out her hand for a shake, as well, "but many happy returns."

Blank, silently and uncomfortably, stood up and left, wondering what the hell just happened. You may not care, but Blank expected to die today. He thought that the caveman was going to beat him up with his club and that Kat would either not acknowledge him or run him over with her eco-friendly car.

"That was the best performance I've ever seen", Athena said as Patrick and Kat sat down. "Patrick, no trace of anger or any of its friends in there, very impressed."

"Kat told me what's going on and everything", Patrick said, "I guess I'm in."

"Good, we just need to come up with a plan to destroy Tabitha Cook."

"We could put drugs in her locker", Patrick suggested.

"A) She hasn't been arrested at all in her life so the most she would get would be a slap on the wrist and B) We would have to get a crap load of drugs to even warrant her any time and that would constitute money—which, frankly, I'm not going to spend—and there's not even a guaranteed chance that we won't get arrested for the drugs."

A silence overcame the table as everyone sat to think. "I hate this", Kat said, flashing her eyes to Patrick and Athena, picking her fingers. "I hate revenge."

Athena tried to think of something to say to Kat, with her mouth open and arm to Kat. "Kat, you're dating a Sicilian, you kinda have to expect that and you're talking to someone who's dating an Italian guy, becoming vengeful is a serious side effect from it."

"Still, revenge is a dangerous road."

"No, the Bolivian Death Road is a dangerous road, but that's not important right. The important thing is that Tabitha Cook wronged you and spouting about revenge being bad isn't going to teach her that clawing her way to power through the souls and bodies of men is bad."

"But, can't we convert her by being nice to her?"

"Kat, we're not talking about Darth Vader here, we're talking about Fire Lord Ozai. Showing her pictures of compassion and benevolence and stuff isn't going to make her kind, defeating her at her own game will."

"Okay, okay", Kat said in a defeated quick hush, "What're going to do then?" Kat glanced at Patrick, deep in thought, searching for some consolation.

Athena leaned on her right arm, also deep in thought, Patrick's and Athena's face dark, their minds communicating with each. Both of their faces lighten, as though they've come up with an idea.

Athena, her head still leaning on her right arm, says to Kat, "You know what we could"—Kat peeked at Athena, as she struggled to find words—"you could forgive her."

Kat's face fell and, with each word falling hard from her mouth, says, "You just told me that we can't be kind to her."

"I did, I did", Athena said, interrupting Kat, lifting her head from her arm and sitting up straight, "Stay with me, as Wilde said, 'Always forgive your enemies—nothing annoys them so much'.


	7. Day Four part two

**Hey! This was going to be Day Five, but I kept referencing Day Four so much that I just decided to make this Day Four (part 2). **

**Hope you enjoy it and review it and all. **

* * *

Day 4 (part 2)

Tabitha, it seems, orders the same lunch every day, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, crackers, an apple, and a chocolate milk—a lunch that she's had for ages, Athena related. She'd sit by herself, always a book open for homework or recreational. Occasionally, she would look up from her sandwich and book to follow people, as they passed by her table, with her eyes.

On Monday, it seems that Tabitha, while having her eyes on Blank, followed him to the table where Athena was sitting at, waiting for Kat and Patrick. Immediately, she felt the birth of a new hatred for this woman, this unknown woman, although she also had the gnawing feeling that she knew this woman, an old hatred returning. Tears were brimming at the surface of her eyes, the hot, salty tears stinging her eyes. She quickly gathered her books, threw her lunch away, and exited the courtyard to the bathroom, that, incidentally, Kat had gone to on Friday. She remained there until the end of lunch, trying to remember who she felt this hatred for. Her thoughts were interrupted by the lunch bell. She swiftly wiped her tears off and applied a bit of powder to her face before heading off to her favorite class of the day, math.

She hated the class, the teacher has absolutely no idea what the hell he was saying, but the reason why she loved it so much that it outshined all the cons: William Blankenship sat in fount of her, his cinnamon aroma filling her nose every time he moved.

She made sure that, today, she wore her cutest clothes. He had the weekend to cool off; she thought something like that as she sat in the middle of the room. She was one of the first people in the class and spent the next few minutes getting out pink, flowery notebook and two number two pencils. The seat in fount of her was still vacant, as she nervously knotted her eyebrows, bit her bottom lip, and glanced up at the clock.

It read 11:34, with the second clock ticking its way towards the twelve. It had twenty more ticks until the twelve.

Nineteen.

Eighteen.

Seventeen.

Sixteen.

Fifteen.

Blank swiftly walked in, dropped his books on his desk, and sat down. Tabitha smiled when Blank entered, but her smile soon vanished when he didn't look at her. The bell rang and the teacher soon began the lesson.

_It's okay_, she thought, looking at the back of Blank's head, with her head leaning on her hand, _he'll talk to me once the lesson is over and Philips's given us our homework_.

But, the bell soon rang, and Blank was the first one out the door, before Tabitha could talk to him. It was at that moment she knew that it wasn't just enough to slander Kat's reputation in fount of the school. She would have to do more. An evil look appeared on Tabitha's face as she thought this and, as if by luck—pure luck—, Kat came walking by her, death stares and evil eyes stabbing her as she ducked her head down low, in order not to be seen.


End file.
